Paying our way

In yesterday's Irish Times Fintan O'Toole wrote a piece about the make up of the Bord Snip group. He pointed out that Colm McCarthy's team are all more or less from the same stable and maybe the board could/should have had people from a different perspective. It is a point worthwhile making.

We have every reason to be proud of our Civil Service. They have served us well. But how come the mandarins in the different Government departments did not see the disaster coming down the track? If they did, did they advise their political masters?

We are borrowing €400 million every week. Suggesting any cuts in such a scenario can seem almost pointless.

Teachers receive notification of their pay on a fortnightly basis per post. This could easily be changed to once a month. It may not save much money but it would save something and be totally painless.

Capitation grants to private fee-paying schools needs careful examination.

Why should any registered companies be exempt from paying Capital Gains Tax? Why should any money accrued by any person or organisation be tax exempt?

Cutting back on social welfare, scrimping with the poorest in society cannot be the way to solve the current crisis.

One lawyer earned €5.8 million at the Moriarty Tribunal.

The mind set that accepts that sort of remuneration can never understand what it means to be unemployed. And that's back to Fintan O'Toole's piece. What about our Civil Service mandarins?